A Decision to Pass Over an Applicant for a State Commission is Raising Questions About Religious Discrimination

Phoenix, AZ – Christopher Gleason wants to be one of five members of acommission that draws the lines for legislative and congressionaldistricts. A panel which screens applicants did not put him onthe list of finalists from which state officials have to choose.House Speaker Kirk Adams said it appears the only objection camefrom one panelist who pointed to Gleason's involvement with aChristian organization and questioned whether he could separateissues of church and state. Adams said that's wrong.

(People of faith have just as much right to the public arena aspeople without faith, or without a specific faith. And I thinkthat is fundamental to our system. We should not be sending amessage to people of faith that we don't want you in the publicarena because you simply can't handle the separation of churchand state.)

But Dewey Schade who sits on the screening panel, said thedecision not to nominate Gleason had nothing to do with religion.He said the panel had to narrow the list.

(Given that pool, he was not in the top 10 candidates, no moreand no less than that. It's no reflection of the person'sreligion or beliefs.)

Supreme Court Chief Justice Rebecca Berch, who chairs thescreening panel, did not return calls seeking comment. ForArizona Public Radio this is Howard Fischer.